Same-Size Service

By Sally Gillen

(Based on a true story)

“This is the greatest!” Shilo exclaimed as she laced up her ice skates. The girls and boys she had invited to her birthday party glided across the ice. The clank of skate blades on the ice could be heard throughout the indoor rink.

“Be careful in there,” her mom said. “Have fun!”

“OK!” Shilo tottered toward the rink to join her friends. “Hey, Kari! Let’s go skate over there.” Shilo pointed to some of their friends, and they skated over to join the group. They all laughed and joked and raced around the rink. They were having a great time!

After a while, Shilo asked Kari, “Have you seen Brian? I haven’t seen him.”

“Me neither.”

“Wait, I see him over there sitting at that table.”

Shilo and Kari left the ice and joined Brian at the table. His brown eyes looked as if he had lost a puppy.

“What’s wrong, Brian?” they asked.

“Oh, nothing. They won’t give me any skates. They ran out of my size. And the guy won’t give me my money back.” He shrugged his shoulders and sighed.

Shilo’s mom overheard. “Come with me, Brian,” she said. “We’ll see if we can do something about that.” She smiled at him, trying to cheer him up.

The two girls went back to the skating rink. Time went by, but Shilo still didn’t see Brian out in the rink. She went back to see what was taking so long. When she got off the ice she saw her mother still talking to the man at the counter. Brian had resumed his position with his head on the table.

“Why aren’t you skating?” Shilo asked.

“They still don’t have my size, I guess.”

“What size do you wear?”

“Six.” Brian didn’t lift his head from the table.

“So do I! How about if you use my skates for a while? I need to rest my ankles. They’re beginning to hurt a little.”

Brian perked up. “Really?”

“Yeah. I can’t wear these things too long because I have weak ankles.” Shilo grinned as his face lit up.

“OK, but if you want them back just come and tell me and we can trade.”

“OK!”

Shilo took off her skates and gave them to Brian. He put them on and was quickly out on the ice. As Shilo watched Brian skate, she felt good inside. She knew she had done the right thing.